Chapter 2 - The Declined Dynasty
The background noise on Brandon’s end of the line was deafening—the clinking of crystal glasses, the soft hum of jazz, and the panicked, frantic murmurs of his family.
"Elena!" Brandon hissed, his voice dropping into a ragged whisper to avoid alerting the upscale diners around him. "The waiter just brought the bill. It’s $1,200, and every single one of my cards just flashed a red error code. My mother’s card dropped, too. What is going on?"
"You told me to figure it out, Brandon," I said, my voice entirely flat, devoid of the tears I had shed only minutes ago. "So I did. I figured out exactly what my life is worth without you in it."
"Stop playing games!" he snarled, though the underlying panic was bleeding through. "Call the bank right now and authorize the transaction! Courtney is trying to pay with her account, and even her card is showing an immediate administrative freeze. We look like criminals!"
"You are criminals," I replied smoothly. "You just haven't been indicted yet."
In the background, I heard Adelaide’s shrill voice cut through the air. "Brandon! Tell that girl to stop this nonsense! The manager is threatening to call the police if we don't settle the tab! My reputation in this city cannot be dragged through the mud!"
May you like
"Your reputation is the least of your concerns, Adelaide," I said loud enough for the phone to pick it up. "Brandon, you have exactly five minutes to figure out how to pay that bill before the restaurant calls the authorities. Don't look for the SUV key fob in your pocket either. The satellite tracking system just locked the ignition and deadbolted the doors from the inside. You’re walking."
I ended the call before he could scream.
